QUESTIONS FOR STUDY 



TO ACCOMPANY 



'•WHAT CHILDREN STUDY 
AND WHY" 



BY 

C. B. GILBERT 



SILVER, BURDETT & COMPANY 

BOSTON . ' >RK CHirAOO 



QUESTIONS FOR STUDY 



TO ACCOMPANY 



"WHAT CHILDREN STUDY 
AND WHY" 



> BY 

C B.GILBERT ^ 



SILVER, BURDETT & COMPANY 
BOSTON NEW YORK CHICAGO 



/ 



V 



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Copyright, 1913, by 
SILVER, BURDETT & COMPANY 



©C!,A354126 ^ 



QUESTIONS FOR STUDY 

CHAPTER I 

1. What are the two main functions of a course of study? 
Define and give an illustration of each. 

2. Discuss, with illustrations, the need for variation in 
courses for both large and small communities. 

3. What is the dilTerence between unity and uniformity? 

4. Discuss the degree of uniformity desirable in your own 
school system. 

5. What unity is desirable in every system? 

6. Give your own \'iew of the necessary minimum of uni- 
form requirement in a course of study. 

7. What is "correlation of studies"? Illustrate its use- 
fulness in adjusting courses to particular needs. Show how 
stress may be varied without violating unity. 

8. What '' results " should be absolutely required? 

9. Discuss briefly the making of daily programs for school. 

10. What is the meaning of "the teacher's initiative"? 
Illustrate. Why should it be encouraged? 

11. Why should a course not be too easy? 

12. Illustrate the use of expression in learning. 

13. Would you prefer a suggestive course, stating prin- 
ciples and a minimum of requirement, or a binding course, 
telling exactly what to do at each point? Why? 

CHAPTER n 

1. Illustrate the value of the reading art in your own case. 
Which is worth more to you, reading or arithmetic? Why? 

2. What are the aims of the reading lesson (a) with very 
young children? (b) with older children? 

3 



4 What Children Study and Why 

3. What is an alphabet? How does it differ from picture- 
writing? 

4. What psychological steps are involved in learning to 
read? 

5. What is the higher function of the reading lesson? 

6. On what principle should reading matter for children 
be graded? Mention some prevalent faults in grading. 

7. What are the principal elements in good oral reading? 

8. Define and illustrate enunciation, pronunciation. 

9. How would you correct faulty enunciation? Pronun- 
ciation? 

CHAPTER III 

1. On what should the method of teaching a subject be 
based? Discuss psychology and logic as bases of method. 

2. Explain the principles of (a) the alphabetical, (b) the 
word, (c) the phonic, (d) the sentence, (e) the larger unit, 
methods of teaching beginners to read. 

3. Outline the method that you prefer and give your rea- 
son for the preference. 

4. How would you teach children to read rapidly (silently) 
and, at the same time, comprehendingly? Discuss "skip- 
ping." When is it advantageous? When not? 

5. What is reading with appreciation? Illustrate by com- 
paring selections of dififerent kinds. How would you culti- 
vate the art? 

6. Name the essentials of effective oral reading. 

7. What should be the chief aim of the reading lesson? 

CHAPTER IV 

1. Give five reasons for the study of language in school. 

2. What is the difference between " language" and "gram- 
mar" as school subjects? Illustrate. 

3. What is the place and the value of each in the curriculum? 



Questions for Study 5 

4. Name and illiislratc three eiuls lu In- secured by tlie 
language lesson. 

C1L,U'TEK V 

1. How do children necessarily acquire the art uf usinj^ 
language? Illustrate the acquisition and influence of habit in 
regard to language. 

2. What are the teacher's available sources of models of 
correct speech to present to the children? 

3. What is the relation between thought and language? 

4. Why should the language exercise stimulate thought? 

5. What is a sentence? What is a thought? What light 
do these definitions throw on the method of teaching lan- 
guage? 

6. How should sentences first be presented? 

7. What is a paragraph? Why should it be taught early? 

8. Illustrate the effect of motor activities in clarifying 
thought. 

9. Why should expression be free rather than dictated? 

10. When and how should rules be taught? 

1 1 . Give two methods of enlarging the pupil's vocabulary. 

12. How can language be taught in the arithmetic class? 

CHAPTER VI 

1. How do the laws of speech differ from statute laws? 
Natural laws? 

2. What inflections remain in English grammar? 

3. How may grammar show national or racial character? 

4. What is the relation of grammar to logic? 

5. How may grammar be used to develop literary appre- 
ciation? 

CUAPTER VII 

1. Illustrate the abstract nature of technical grammar. 

2. When and how should definitions be taught? 



6 What Children Study and Why 

3. Discuss the use of the diagram from your own point 
of view. 

4. Why should the study of grammar begin with the sen- 
tence? 

5. Discuss the methods of teaching subject and predicate. 

6. What is a "part of speech"? 

7. Illustrate the truth that the study of grammar is a 
study of the relations of ideas. 

8. What sort of material should be used for illustrations 
and exercises? Why? 

CHAPTERS VIII AND IX 

1. How important do you regard spelling? Why? 

2. Discuss "reformed spelling." 

3. Name two principles to be observed in teaching spelling. 

4. Give two devices for teaching spelling, taken either from 
this book or from your own experience. 

5. What should a good spelling book contain? 

6. Discuss the relation of the amount of time spent to 
results, in teaching spelling. Give your own experience. 

CHAPTER X 

1. Discuss the uses of arithmetic. 

2. What are the first steps in teaching number? 

3. Show by illustration that number exists not in things 
but in the mind. 

4. Why must civilized people have a system of numbers? 

5. Illustrate the utiHtarian and the cultural ends of teach- 
ing arithmetic. 

6. What subjects are important for utilitarian purposes? 
What subjects commonly found in arithmetic are not im- 
portant for this end? 



Queslions for Study 7 

7, In what two ways may arithmetic scr\'c the general 
education (culture) of the cliild? 

8. What subjects are most useful to these ends? 

CHAPTERS XI AND XII 

1. Discuss the "time element" in teaching arithmetic. 

2. Discuss "drill." 

3. Illustrate the proper variation of method according to 
the age of pupils. 

4. Explain and illustrate the use of the concrete in teach- 
ing principles and tables. What are its limitations? 

5. What is meant by the "inductive approach"? Illus- 
trate it. 

6. Illustrate the use of an equation wth x. What is its 
advantage? In what kind of problems is it useful? 

7. What kind of problems generally should be given chil- 
dren? Give illustrations of problems of a good and of a 
bad sort. 

CHAPTER XIII 

1. How did history find a place in the common school 
course of study? What new principle did it establish? 

2. What was the character of the earlier school histories? 

3. What knowledge of history may reasonably be de- 
manded of a grammar school graduate? 

4. Do most of the graduates that you know have this 
minimum? Why? 

5. Why should some general history be taught? What 
should this include? 

6. Name four aims of the teaching of history. 

7. How early shouldthechronologicalorderbeemphasized? 

8. What is meant by the psychological order? 

9. What sort of historical relations can primary children 
understand? Grammar .school children? High school 
pupils? College students? 



8 What Children Study and Why 

CHAPTER XrV 

1. Should history be taught as the record of the achieve- 
ments of great leaders, or of the result of great natural forces? 
Why? Discuss fully. 

2. Illustrate the method of grouping facts about a central 
person; a central event. 

3. Why should history for children be a good story? 

4. Why and how can you emphasize the greatness of peace 
in teaching history? Illustrate. 

5. Discuss the place of war in history. 

CHAPTER XV 

1. Illustrate the composite nature of geography. 

2. Give some of the real difficulties met in teaching it from 
the usual textbook. 

3. Give some natural geographic concepts of the children 
in your school before they have studied geography. 

4. Illustrate the place of the imagination in geography. 

5. What concepts do you find it most necessary to implant? 

6. Illustrate how you make some phase of the subject 
vital and picturesque. 

CHAPTER XVI 

1 . What is the difference between the earth and the world? 
About which of these should children be taught in geography? 

2. Illustrate the use of types in teaching geography. 

3. What is the laboratory method? Show how it may be 
applied in your school. 

4. Illustrate the following of natural interests in this sub- 
ject. 

CHAPTER XVII 

1. What kind of facts should be taught in geography? 
Illustrate the use of a child's apperceptive powers. 



Questions for Study 9 

2. Name some of the natural geographic interests of chil- 
dren. 

3. Compare the usual natural geographic knowledge of 
country children with that of city children. 

4. Name some important aids that may be utilized in 
school. 

5. Name some things that you can do in this direction. 

CHAPTERS XVIII AND XIX 

1. What do you regard as the chief aims of nature study? 
What too often has been wrong with it? 

2. Why teach the near-by objects? If you can, quote 
from some author on the significance of nature study. 

3. Discuss the "sport" of killing animals as contrasted 
with study of the living objects. 

4. Why study out of doors? What may properly be done 
in the schoolroom? 

5. What is the chief thing to study in any natural object 
or phenomenon? 

6. Where is the place of man in this study? 

7. Illustrate the correlation of nature study with literature; 
art; language. 

CHAPTER XX 

1. Define physiology; anatomy; hygiene. What is the 
place of each in an elementary school course? 

2. What ought the children to get from the study? Give 
three reasons why this result is rarely attained. 

3. What sort of instruction is most likely to result in 
health and bodily morality? 

4. What should children study of the body? 

5. Illustrate the scientific method by reference to some 
human organ. 



lo What Children Study and Why 

6. Give the principles on which the teaching of "scientific 
temperance" should rest. 

7. Show how hygiene may be taught in correlation with 
other school exercises. 

8. What is meant by "sex hygiene"? 

9. Why is it urged upon school authorities? 

10. What are the chief obstacles to its general introduction 
into courses of study? 

11. Tell what you think might be done. Can you do any- 
thing in your school? 

CHAPTER XXI 

1. Discuss the importance of penmanship at the present 
day. 

2. What should be taught? What not? 

3. How should young children begin to write? Why? 

4. How does an individual "handwriting" come? 

CHAPTER XXII 

1. Has ability to read and write always been highly es- 
teemed? 

2. Discuss the relative value of the doer and the writer. 

3. Is our prevailing course of study out of balance in this 
matter? 

4. Illustrate the value of other arts than reading and writ- 
ing. 

5. Why have all races taught the arts of expression? 

6. Compare a child's learning before he goes to school 
with that in school, and give a reason. 

7. Why should motor activities be utilized in teaching? 

8. Illustrate some correlations of the motor activities 
available in your schoolroom. 

9. What is the educational value of the drama? How 
may it be used in school? 



Questions for Study ii 

CHAPTER xxni 

1. How do wc usually distinguish "industrial training" 
from "manual training" as school exercises? 

2. Why arc schools to-day urged to teach trades? Give 
the leading arguments. 

3. Discuss the age at which children properly may make 
final choice of a life work. What has this to do with the sub- 
ject of teaching trades? 

4. What is the possible efTect upon democracy of the over- 
emphasis of trade teaching in common schools? Discuss fully. 

5. In your community are children in considerable num- 
bers suffering from the lack of such training in the schools? 

6. Would its introduction increase or diminish the num- 
ber of misfits in life? 

7. What are continuation schools? Part-time industrial 
schools? 

8. What is the place of industrial training in our common- 
school system? 

9. Give arguments for and against teaching technical 
agriculture in rural schools. 

10. Give your own views as to hcrw and where it should be 
taught. 

CHAPTER XXIV 

1. Give the ethical reasons for teaching the fine arts in 
school. 

2. Discuss the functions of the fine arts in education. 

3. Discuss the difference between the teaching of music 
in school and in studios. 

4. What is the chief function of music in education? 

5. Why begin with rote songs? 

6. What is the place of technical instruction in the sub- 
ject? 



12 What Children Study and Why 

CHAPTER XXV 

1 . What are the purposes of teaching the plastic and graphic 
arts? 

2. Discuss the place and the abuse of copying. 

3. In what sense is drawing a language? 

4. Why begin with pictures? 

5. What use should be made of the pictures? 

6. Discuss the value of modeling; of color. 

CHAPTER XXVI 

1. Discuss the development of taste in the fine arts through 
school agencies. 

2. How may "canned music" be used in education? 

3. What kind of music should children sing? 

4. What kind of pictures should be presented? 

5. How would you develop taste in children? 

6. What agencies are available in your school or community? 

CHAPTER XXVII 

1. What is the psychological ground for the correlation 
of studies? 

2. Show that knowledge is always, and necessarily, a 
knowledge of relation. 

3. Show that knowledge is always affected by the knowing 
mind. Illustrate. 

4. Show that no school topic is complete in itself. Illus- 
trate by reference to three topics. 

5. How may correlation alleviate the overcrowding of the 
curriculum? 

6. What is the proper center for a correlated course of 
study? 

7. Discuss "content and form" in some selected subject 
for study. 



Queslions for Study 13 



CHAPTER XXVril 

1. Show the waste in a repetition of topics in succeeding 
grades. Illustrate by geography and arithmetic. 

2. What is the function of "book learning" in education? 

CH^\PTER XXIX 

1. Why is moral training in schools especially important 
at the present time? 

2. Discuss the distinction between morals and morality. 

3. What are the essentials of morality? 

4. What is possible of accomplishment in moral training? 
vS. Discuss the need and the dangers of prohibitions. 

6. What takes place in the mind when a moral act is 
committed? 

7. Discuss the place of authority in moral training. 

8. Why should the feelings be cultivated? 

9. Discuss the influence of environment in the develop- 
ment of character. 

10. Discuss the "great exceptions." 

1 1 . What can the school do to develop character? 

12. Discuss the influence of the teacher's character. 

13. What is "moral atmosphere"? What is its source 
in school? Illustrate. 

14. Why is cooperation preferable to solitude? 

15. What is the place of obedience in the development of 
character? 

16. Discuss the value of the conventional " school virtues." 

17. How may the pupils contribute to the moral well- 
being of the school? 

18. How much may instruction do in training the moral 
nature? 

19. Discuss the possibility of general courses in morals. 

20. How may discussion of moral issues be made useful? 



14 What Children Study and Why 

21. What school agencies are available for moral training? 
Which can you use to the best advantage? 

22. What kind of historical models are best? Why? 

23. What can be done in city schools? In rural schools? 

24. What can you do in your school to further good con- 
duct and to develop good character in your pupils? 



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